James Cridland

Passionate about audio · Editor of Podnews https://podnews.net · Host of the Podnews Weekly Review https://weekly.podnews.net · Personal/radio blog: https://james.cridland.net · These messages self-destruct · ⚡james@crid.land

I also have a thing for craft beer, and did so before it was quite as trendy as today.

I live in Meanjin/Brisbane QLD Australia - in Bardon 4065 - on the land of the Turrbul and Jagera people. I'm British and moved here almost seven years ago.

My website: https://james.cridland.net
Podnews: https://podnews.net

Public Key

npub13cgvw8v4hy7yr7ehc0hs27m4csaly2t9x4w60pjzqe0cfhesvhfqf4ck4q

NIP-05 Address

james_at_bne.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsguyx8rk2mj0zplvmu8mc90d6ugwlj99jn2hd8sepqvhuymucxt5s66f75s

Author Public Key

npub13cgvw8v4hy7yr7ehc0hs27m4csaly2t9x4w60pjzqe0cfhesvhfqf4ck4q

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Last Notes

2024-09-28 07:42:09

Earlier today - odd moment. Went to the airport five hours early to check in. Then a drive and walk to the beach - Togo Chasm, an amazing volcanic formation. This is not how airport checkins normally work. #travel #niue
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/214/042/158/719/949/original/ea3070d71f6e9012.jpeg
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/214/048/309/978/786/original/48057b735a894520.jpeg

2024-09-12 06:53:58

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The bots used a Google IP range, by the way. They're definitely Google (or someone renting space on Google Cloud and setting the same useragent).

2024-09-12 06:52:42

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It's an AWS cluster (Cloudflare, WAF, etc)
I don't understand the @npub14p7…2uvv issue - he never explained what was going on. I think it's a bug in his app. Anyway, that doesn't touch the webserver. (I did also report a bug to @npub1fjr…v786 as well, but didn't get a reply).
As for the outage yesterday - yes, my RSS feed was unavailable for a time. I still don't really understand why the server falls over yet, but I've added more instrumentation. I don't believe it's nefarious.
Incidentally, the newsletter sending mechanism (and the database for that) is on separate infrastructure.

2024-09-05 10:20:31

Travelling, so hard to record the podcast in a non-noisy place. Thinking slightly outside of the box, the Podnews Daily uses a voice clone of me (which appears to have gone deep Essex, innit) from Wondercraft. Goodness. https://podnews.net/listen

2024-09-01 13:54:56

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To be very clear, I'm not forcing anyone to do anything.
> Implementing DRM for podcasting in exchange for optional payments
Not what I'm suggesting.
If the creator wishes to enforce payment, then currently she has no option to do so. I'm suggesting some form of unlocking of content *if* the creator wishes to enforce payment. If they don't, and are happy for 90% of listeners to be free-riders, that's absolutely fine with me.

2024-09-01 13:44:58

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I think a paywall, even if it's a $0.01 paywall, would be an enhancement to the podcast:value specification if it's optional for the creator. But, of course, that breaks open podcasting, since you'd need some form of protection for the audio.
A minimum $0.01 paywall - i.e. a paywall at any value - would seem also the right thing for streaming payment music shows, for example. Right now, our feeds are open to anyone to consume, even if the app isn't capable of streaming payments.

2024-09-01 07:18:17

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Truefans has a financial relationship with its users and can take a percentage of payments. Same for Podverse. They are therefore incentivised to explain streaming payments (and make it as easy as possible).
The question is whether an honesty tax, which streaming payments and other v4v tools are, are a way to build a business.
I am quite taken with the idea of “pay what you think it’s worth” for a service - so there is a paywall but otherwise no set fee. Wonder if there’s a way to try that out?

2024-08-29 09:38:11

In case anyone's interested, and I've no real idea why anyone would be... here's what it's like being a guest on the BBC News channel.
https://james.cridland.net/blog/2024/live-on-bbc-news/

2024-08-23 20:08:13

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It turns out that this airport has two AA lounges. One that is probably original to the 1980s with dark wood everywhere, and a much brighter more modern one with actually decent barbecue chicken. I’m in that one now.

2024-08-23 20:00:42

An enjoyable few hours on @npub1fmx…wp74 and @npub1rcn…dw4h ‘s Podcasting 2.0 podcast. I was in a “work carrel”. Me neither.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/013/110/052/568/834/original/4e9bf06c5a890759.jpeg
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/013/110/064/295/890/original/fc764b49b949e668.jpeg

2024-08-23 17:39:43

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Where's the board room chat room thing?

2024-08-23 16:19:17

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This is very nice. Dealt with @npub13cg…ck4q very well. Good job.

2024-08-23 15:54:16

Oh, good, a trip report. This one's a flight from Brisbane to Washington DC. I write this five hours before I do it again, backwards.
https://james.cridland.net/blog/2024/trip-report-bne-dci/

2024-08-22 21:06:47

The Podnews Weekly Review is out nice and early. @npub1thg…zq23 was in the UK. I was walking the exhibition floor as people packed up at the end of Podcast Movement with my super compact $2000 recording rig
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/007/696/485/258/237/original/bd675e9d6b499e67.jpeg

2024-08-22 20:52:36

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https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/007/653/550/199/750/original/f07d130bf0ef4ddb.jpeg

2024-08-22 20:44:14

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Yeah. Nobody could hear Sam (I repeated a few questions and edited them out); though Sam was also appearing as closed captions on my screen.

2024-08-22 20:39:55

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Yeah. Should have turned the compression off on the microphone really - it brought up a lot of the background. But sounded nice to me, too.

2024-08-22 20:36:31

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The wholly satisfactory Apple MacBook Air plus Shure MV88 microphone plus Bose headphones in noise cancelling mode (to help me know what was being recorded). Very heavy to carry after a while! Cleanfeed as audio connection. Failed once (possibly hand-off from one wifi to the next).

2024-08-21 20:01:28

Someone is so annoyed at the background noise of Podcast Movement over the last two days that even though they really enjoy the podcast, they're unsubscribing.
The newsletter is entirely silent, so that's nice.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/113/001/787/969/583/831/original/746622f293e1c28c.png

2024-08-20 12:42:29

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What? Seriously?

2024-08-19 19:05:53

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Downloads are missing. No chapters. And no transcripts either. I wonder if downloads are actually possible in a web app? I’m assuming not.

2024-08-19 18:54:33

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I don't believe that is supported on iPhone - the release says that Apple users will open the app automatically. Makes sense.

2024-08-19 18:06:37

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...change one thing in the manifest, in fact (just add a start_url).

2024-08-19 17:53:27

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It would be a PWA if they changed two things in the manifest. It does size correctly on mobile - I've seen two people use it on Android so far

2024-08-19 17:38:45

Well, then, @npub1fmx…wp74 - looks like I kind of won my bet?
https://podnews.net/article/apple-podcasts-android

2024-08-18 17:29:01

There’s a bar/restaurant close to the conference hotel. The only way to order is via a QR code. It refuses to accept a non-US mobile number to use it; and it seems not to like my ad-blocking web browser either. So I had to just walk out, since they couldn’t serve me. Weird.

2024-08-18 12:42:43

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Thanks, Martin. Having thought a little, that’s probably not as good for accessibility.

2024-08-18 12:41:41

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Accessibility. Yes. Of course. An image map is not a thing for that. Thank you.
Currently it’s a set of multi-size PICTURE elements with dark-mode variants. All with lazy loading. All highly compressed PNGs. (I’d like SVGs but realistically won’t get them).
The accessibility thing is something I take seriously and I’m a bit embarrassed I forgot about the ramifications of a sprite.

2024-08-18 11:05:35

Any #css folks here, like [@sophie](https://social.lol/@sophie ) and others…
See that big logo soup at the bottom of Podnews.net ? Is there a “better” way of doing that that doesn’t require x100 different image calls? Needs to be responsive, and all images should be clickable.
I had considered a script that made one large image, and then cut it up somehow using backgrounds? Seems kludgy. Or perhaps simpler - one large image (but a few different sizes for screens)? How would you approach it?

2024-08-17 21:07:10

Hello from a Marriott lobby, where I've just written my weekly radio trends newsletter. Changes in NYC, London, and Sydney... https://james.cridland.net/blog/2024/live-from-la/

2024-08-17 18:03:31

If you’re coming to #podcastmovement #pm24 then I’ll see you there. Currently in LAX, in the immigration queue, but I’ve got a ten hour layover so should get through in time.
If you’re new(ish) to Mastodon or the fediverse - hashtags are just like people here, so you can follow those hashtags and meet other peeps here right in your timeline. In my interface, I can just click the hashtag and then press “follow” - yours might be the same.

2024-08-16 23:25:07

Nothing endears me to your company's "happy hour" more than if you schedule it at the exact same time that I'm on stage at Podcast Movement... ;)

2024-08-16 23:02:22

I’d forgotten how bad the signage was in Melbourne Airport (international). From the way in, right through all the security and shops, you’ve no way-marking showing where you are going. There’s one brilliant place where you can stand and see two signs pointing in separate directions for the same thing, too. I take back any previous comments about Sydney airport being Australia’s worst. (And Sydney’s airport has a train!)

2024-08-16 19:56:16

Oh, look. [@arcinternet](https://threads.net/@arcinternet/ ) is now available on iPad. They kept that quiet!

2024-08-16 19:01:11

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I believe that Megaphone wants you to type in your other URLs. This podcaster hasn't bothered. (That's how it works on most podcast hosts, at least).

2024-08-16 18:57:06

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The 24% is "people who never or very rarely skip ads".
Your data - clearly you only have this for people listening within your own player, so I'm guessing it's not very representative of how the majority listen.

2024-08-16 11:55:42

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Yeah, that looks bad. I never took my 25 days, but (as a manager) you had to tell people to take theirs through the year otherwise you suddenly had the entire team away for a random two week period and it broke everything.

2024-08-16 11:52:04

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Thank you! So Crooked Media’s negotiated 49 days is quite a thing.
(Europe’s standard 25 days is “use it or lose it” - not normally carried over. New workers normally accrue it over the first year, but after that, you can normally use it with employer consent whenever you want).

2024-08-16 10:36:49

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I believe it's still UK law. (I got a claim from Qantas last year.)

2024-08-16 10:25:22

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Pah, this is Australia, mate, none of your fancy EU 261 laws here, you drongo

2024-08-16 09:37:58

Podcast Movement week starts off with an unexpected swerve-ball, as @npub1u05…mx0f - bless them - cancel my flight tomorrow to Washington DC, and try to move me to a flight 24 hours later, thus messing up meetings and hotel stays...

2024-08-16 05:53:56

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Wow. (It’s more than 9 weeks, by the way).
I was told that all Americans only get two weeks off.

2024-08-16 04:59:37

I'm sure no Americans are up at this time. But I'm looking at the new worker agreement at Crooked Media and wondering if it's really a thing - starting salaries of $80,000 and a minimum of 49 days (7 weeks) paid time off.
7 weeks? Really? Is that a normal amount?

2024-08-16 03:24:53

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Also, thanks to @npub1tuw…jjev [@sijobling@threads.net](https://threads.net/@sijobling/ ) @npub10h9…47fr and to @npub1fmx…wp74 and @npub1fn9…swcy for your kind boosts this week

2024-08-16 03:23:26

Just hit publish on the @npub1j34…e2z5 Weekly Review. A good chat with Dan Misener, and with Joe Tannorella. Plus, we review comments made on The Feed about Podcasting 2.0, and even pull a little clip of [@Todd_Blubrry](https://podcastindex.social/@Todd_Blubrry ) from the New Media Show doing that too. Not sure we'll make a friend, though probably fair that it's not a friend we have anyway.
@npub1nnx…egqw

2024-08-16 00:01:25

AWS just made the mistake of sending me a survey about their awful, incomprehensible billing and cost management tools. *rubs hands*

2024-08-15 06:32:25

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I’d add: what’s more important? A healthy ABC with a clear brand that people recognise cross-platform, or a piece of music written by an Englishman in the 1930s? That they only use on the radio?

2024-08-15 06:26:03

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You can have it on Radio National.

2024-08-15 05:00:02

Exciting, perhaps - a new ABC NEWS theme (which is one used until 2005), and new graphics across all ABC NEWS programs, from Monday. "No matter where they get their news, Australians will be able to instantly recognise ABC NEWS." - I'll lay a bet with you now that the radio will still have the crappy Majestic Fanfare, and there'll be no crossover with radio output at all. (I'd be delighted if they proved me wrong). What say you, @npub1npy…c82u ?
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/964/265/112/894/398/original/b2f5cdca799c3955.png

2024-08-15 03:44:18

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… and two more car park signs on the entrance to the store - one next to the sign on the left, another over here to the right.
I can see how it could catch you out, though, especially since this sort of arrangement wouldn’t happen in Aus.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/963/970/952/073/827/original/62e14a38bef2c918.jpeg

2024-08-15 03:40:52

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Yes, I can see that. Frustrating to not actually be able to pay.
(I’ll bet you that they won’t take an Aussie card as well!)
The only way in is along a road where this sign is facing you as you enter the roundabout. It’s blurred by Streetview in this shot.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/963/957/122/397/025/original/24043fddebbe79a0.jpeg

2024-08-15 03:33:55

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Ah, it’s a little High Street Express, not a superstore.
And here’s the sign as you went in (you passed another when entering the store and possibly parked in front of one too).
I think it’s a fair charge. Sorry.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/963/926/482/473/752/original/f1c7956e7d10c216.jpeg

2024-08-15 03:20:04

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Are you able to share which Tesco? I’m now curious.

2024-08-15 03:19:29

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I’m suggesting paying the fine: then kicking up a big fuss to make Tesco regret it all.

2024-08-15 03:18:01

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https://www.tesco.com/help/pages/in-store-faqs/our-facilities-in-store/parking-and-charges suggests a maximum duration should be posted at the entrance. Google Streetview is your friend.
I would also suggest that this is a story that the local paper would be interested in. “US tourist fined for parking while shopping at Tesco” is not a good look.

2024-08-15 03:15:39

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I would kick up merry hell with Tesco. Chances are that the supermarket had a café in it, and 50 minutes is not excessive for parking.

2024-08-15 01:17:51

With clowns like this in charge, no wonder Google has lost its way.
From: @npub14ps…pcuh
https://mastodon.social/@verge/112963210509815132

2024-08-15 01:00:10

[@Todd_Blubrry](https://podcastindex.social/@Todd_Blubrry ) New Media Show cuts just when you start shouting at me for covering ListenNotes.
I do so because I’m pointing out that it does not measure what it says it does - new podcasts. So, those who do cover Listen Notes data are incorrect to use it as a bellweather for the podcast industry
#donteatmetoddcochrane

2024-08-14 21:39:27

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That’s a bad article. No evidence about the assertion of Kim Williams at all. Lots of extrapolation. Pretty clear that the ABC was the subject of a legal threat from Seven. Written by someone who clearly has no understanding of how the media works. Poor.

2024-08-14 07:24:28

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It wasn’t good

2024-08-14 07:00:49

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Doesn’t appear to have been offline (at least, the overall node). No worries though…

2024-08-14 04:39:46

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When I made ads, the trick for a slick-sounding station was to fade the music under the voiceover, so the last word was dry (without music). Then you’ve a good clear cue-point for the next audio.

2024-08-14 04:24:34

Kentucky Fried Cookie Dough. Tastes as expected.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/958/466/901/450/151/original/c4f4730e95596be1.jpeg

2024-08-13 23:16:10

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Its a three bay bike rack. I’ve seen two bikes using this one. It’s outside a café in a quiet suburb.

2024-08-13 12:33:00

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It is!

2024-08-13 11:44:47

Hmm. My IPFS Podcast node seems to have decided that I've deselected all the shows I was sharing. Wonder why...

2024-08-13 11:15:39

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Let's see if this works.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/954/424/297/596/844/original/1c18f70b614c8307.png

2024-08-13 09:53:42

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It might be time to deploy the "rule-based spam filter"
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/954/101/600/310/320/original/4a21dda05876ab74.png

2024-08-13 09:53:18

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Although they're getting a bit boring now
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/954/100/274/296/687/original/765c64758aa5b0a9.png

2024-08-13 08:04:36

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I normally just take my bike into wherever I’m going. But then, I ride a Brompton. I bought this one after the last one was stolen from a pub I left it locked outside in London. Now, I just bring the bike in and put it under the table… would never trust a bike rack.

2024-08-13 07:10:31

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I mean, it's keeping someone in a job, but not sure who
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/953/460/236/189/729/original/e8c26057439e8184.png

2024-08-13 03:08:34

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There seems to be plenty of anecdotal evidence here: https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/4

2024-08-13 01:42:50

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https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/952/172/099/593/925/original/38f74ec8685630df.png

2024-08-13 01:31:54

I've had a few of these now, responding to my newsletter with a very positive précis of what it had in it. What fresh hell is this? And why would someone have built this auto-responder?
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/952/125/651/382/526/original/78f58e6efd75006e.png

2024-08-13 01:11:03

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You tell me - I've posted the construction diagram with the measurements. (But I'd assume it is...)

2024-08-12 23:40:10

A mysterious, suspicious-looking email from Google. Couldn't look more spammy and suspicious if it tried. When you click the link, it wants you to sign in. This is *so* bad, it's comical.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/951/684/238/808/705/original/ee79b9e918084587.png

2024-08-12 23:33:36

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I think you're right - it's for ease of manufacture. Much easier to make this than one with a circular inner.

2024-08-12 23:30:48

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And here's where you can buy one. The 5 bay one is AUD$2,082. The ones for sale here appear to be made to the Brisbane City Council specification, but do not have the council logo on.
https://www.tkobollards.com.au/products/bsd-5052-brisbane-city-bike-rack
@npub12wa…tkuw HOW DO I GET OUT

2024-08-12 23:13:07

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I’ve discovered the plans! This is a three bay bike stand.
https://docs.brisbane.qld.gov.au/standard-drawings/20171201_bsd-5052_b_multi-bike-rack_sheet-1-of-3.pdf
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/951/580/243/387/932/original/dfea931d291db0ff.jpeg

2024-08-12 23:04:16

Overheard at the coffee shop: “What’s that for?” I thought to myself - well, it’s obviously a bike stand. Except, on second thoughts… what is it for? What are the square bits? Why is it built this way? #brisbane
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/951/541/833/092/822/original/a44876bf74667402.jpeg

2024-08-12 11:09:32

Today's @npub1j34…e2z5 contains this statement.
I'm presuming that it's clear that I'm not accusing anyone of anything.
https://assets.bne.social/media_attachments/files/112/948/731/949/690/004/original/0631716be0139370.png

2024-08-12 10:59:57

Bloody hell. This is quite the read. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-12/channel-seven-staff-speak-out-workplace-four-corners/104207196

2024-08-12 10:52:49

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Do shout when you've done it, and I can push a few updates this end to Podcast Index, which'll speed things on.

2024-08-12 10:31:07

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Ah, ha. Are you able to get Feedburner to 301 redirect there?
If you do Apple (which still points to Feedburner) then that'll move the majority of them.
There's a tantalising edit button on the Podcast Index dashboard I have access to, but it doesn't appear to work (because I think it mirrors Apple where there's a link there).

2024-08-12 09:39:01

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https://podnews.net/podcast/ibni5 - the image is broken on Podnews too.
Eurgh, Feedburner. And http Feedburner, which is even worse.
The image for the podcast (not the episode, the podcast) is a 404. http://tommorris.org/files//techgrumps-20100716-110807.jpg
The podcast description has Javascript in it! Eurgh.
The enclosure tag has been duplicated ten times. It's also an http URL. It's a wonder it plays at all, to be honest.
What's wrong with using a podcast host?

2024-08-12 06:40:06

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... it integrates OP3 (for me!) as well. It's very lovely. Here's a look into it (with copious images) https://podnews.net/article/bumper-dashboard-podnews

2024-08-12 05:58:21

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Also - https://podnews.net/article/bumper-dashboard-podnews is an enabled URL for testing.

2024-08-12 05:54:09

Having read @npub189s…3rm4 's post about using the new author byline feature on Mastodon, I've added it to @npub1j34…e2z5 's code, and have applied to @npub1vl7…f6g0 's team for allowlisting.
Federico - along with fediverse:creator I've also suggested fediverse:site to be added (and have added it to the code too). That mirrors the meta tags from tw*tter, and I think is a helpful discovery tool. Thoughts?

2024-08-12 02:08:02

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You can use the “onerror” behaviour of a browser to catch those. Try the first answer here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8124866/how-does-one-use-the-onerror-attribute-of-an-img-element

2024-08-11 23:01:14

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Thank you - it’s a lovely discovery.

2024-08-11 22:47:08

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Your image for that podcast doesn’t seem to work in Overcast… :(

2024-08-11 10:03:33

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#1 FM breakfast show in Sydney! :-/

2024-08-11 10:00:09

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It seems like Megalodon is now extinct. @npub16yn…098f has updated their profile saying "you should switch to @npub1rx6…pdar "

2024-08-11 09:10:02

Two recommended music albums, and a sweary Kyle and Jackie O - my latest radio trends column: https://james.cridland.net/blog/2024/kyle-and-jackie/

2024-08-11 07:33:04

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I enjoyed Megalodon. Doesn’t appear to be there any more. Otherwise, frankly, I just used the web app.

2024-08-11 02:19:58

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I’d go for “Brisbane’s biggest hit music station”. Or “best”, though “biggest” has two syllables like Brisbane, so it works better. Both communicate more than #1.
@npub1npy…c82u one for Mr Brisbane perhaps

2024-08-11 02:11:44

Back in #brisbane and enjoying SCA’s B105 claiming it’s “Brisbane’s #1 Hit Music Station” meanwhile down the dial, ARN’s KIIS 97.3 claims it’s “Brisbane’s #1 Hit Music Station”.
I wonder whether the only thing this communicates is that #radio stations think the audience is dumb. Do they genuinely think audiences won’t notice? How does this do anything other than erode trust?

2024-08-10 23:58:44

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Yes, voice is never great for that. But at least Spotify won’t have merged “The Band” and “Band Aid” in its database!

2024-08-10 23:40:26

I use YouTube Music rather than Apple or Spotify, because it’s a family account and the video benefits are also good.
But its metadata is just bad. Today, it’s decided that Gomez (a laid back band from the early 2000s) is the same as Gomez (a relatively talent-free Christian rapper from 2024). Argh.

2024-08-10 23:31:56

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One for you, @npub1a9s…dvcf